Archived
Source verified July 23, 2026
Experience Ontario 2024
Funding for Ontario tourism festivals and events
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Funding available
$ 125,000
Deadline
Unspecified
Location
Ontario, Canada
Overview
Experience Ontario 2024 supports tourism festivals and events in Ontario with a focus on visitor spending and local economic impact. It offers up to $125,000 for eligible in-person events, including programming, marketing, accessibility, and other event-related costs.
Receipt of requests is now closed
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Increase social or community impact
- Develop an online presence
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Language Minorities
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Culture and Arts
- Sports
- Other Recreation and Social Clubs
Target groups
- General public
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Provincial
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- In-person tourism festivals and events in Ontario
- Programming that encourages travel and visitor attendance
- Events that promote Ontario through partnerships and marketing
- Priority cultural events for Francophone, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, ethnocultural, northern, or rural communities
Documents Needed
- Completed, signed, dated, validated application form
- Incorporation documents or equivalent organizational bylaws/policies, if applicable
- Previous year’s audited or review engagement financial statements
- Alternative board-endorsed or treasurer-certified financial statements, if audited statements are unavailable
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Federally or provincially incorporated organizations
- Legal entities established by legislation
- First Nations in Ontario
- Indigenous communities and Indigenous service providers in Ontario
- Regional or provincial organizations representing Indigenous peoples
Who is not eligible
- Sole proprietorships
- Limited partnerships
- Limited liability partnerships
- General partnerships
- Federal and provincial governments and their agencies
Eligible expenses
- Artist, performer, and presenter fees, including related travel and accommodation
- Programming, production, marketing, and temporary event staff costs
- Paid media, printing distribution, website and app upgrades
- Accessibility, translation, security, sanitation, and health and safety costs
- Economic impact studies and other directly attributable, approved costs
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Expenses outside the April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 period
- Permanent assets, capital costs, and operating overhead
- Prizes, awards, gifts, gratuities, and personal benefit items
- Alcohol, cannabis-related products, and refundable taxes or deposits
- Costs covered by in-kind support, other funding, or affiliate transactions
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
- Northern Ontario districts: Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Timiskaming
- Ontario urban municipalities: Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Burlington, Cambridge, Chatham-Kent, Clarington, Guelph, Greater Sudbury, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Oakville, Oshawa, Ottawa, Richmond Hill, St. Catharines, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vaughan, Waterloo, Whitby, and Windsor
Selection criteria
- Organizational capacity
- Event description, alignment with program objectives, and risk management
- Marketing plan
- Partnerships
- Impact, including performance measures, government support, and results tracking
How to apply
- Step 1: Prepare before applying
- Read the application guide and watch the program video.
- Consult a Tourism Regional Advisor or Northern Regional Development Advisor if needed.
- Confirm your Transfer Payment Ontario account is active and up to date.
- Step 2: Complete the application
- Fill out the application form in Transfer Payment Ontario.
- Attach all mandatory documents.
- Ensure the application is complete and validated.
- Step 3: Submit through TPON
- Submit the application in the Transfer Payment Ontario system.
- Make sure submission is completed before the deadline.
- Step 4: Await notification
- Applicants are notified by email in spring 2024.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed against eligibility and mandatory requirements first.
- Eligible applications are scored against program criteria.
- Funding decisions are sent by email in spring 2024.
- Successful applicants must sign a transfer payment agreement before funds are provided.
- Recipients may be audited and must submit post-event reporting.
Additional information
- Only one application per organization and per event is allowed.
- Affiliated organizations are treated as one applicant group.
- Successful applicants must sign a transfer payment agreement with the ministry.
- No appeal process is available for unsuccessful applicants.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Experience Ontario 2024 Program
What is the Experience Ontario 2024?
Experience Ontario 2024 supports tourism festivals and events in Ontario with a focus on visitor spending and local economic impact. It offers up to $125,000 for eligible in-person events, including programming, marketing, accessibility, and other event-related costs.
How much funding can be received?
Experience Ontario 2024 Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $125,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Experience Ontario 2024 program?
To be eligible for the Experience Ontario 2024 program, you must:
Ontario-based legal entity or incorporated organization
Public in-person event in Ontario
At least two consecutive days
What expenses are eligible under Experience Ontario 2024?
In-person tourism festivals and events in Ontario
Programming that encourages travel and visitor attendance
Events that promote Ontario through partnerships and marketing
Priority cultural events for Francophone, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, ethnocultural, northern, or rural communities
Who can I contact for more information about the Experience Ontario 2024?
You can contact Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Ministry of Sport by email at ExperienceOntario@ontario.ca or by phone at 416-325-6691.
Where is the Experience Ontario 2024 available?
The Experience Ontario 2024 program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the Experience Ontario 2024 a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Experience Ontario 2024 is a Grant and Funding